I MEAN to stick to the original, everyone. Sorry, but this isn’t about the third, fourth, fifth, or whatever gender. As in the first sentence of this article, the operative word is ‘everyone’. So, it’s mainly about each and everyone, and the magical connection we could have, if we only wanted it.
You may be talking to a complete stranger, and the next minute, a shared experience or similar anecdote touches a nerve so that all at once, you both feel a ‘connect’ of sorts – a mild charge of electricity, if you will.
Whatever the trigger, both right away begin to see (and more importantly, appreciate) the other person in a new light, to a degree that’s just short of wonder or awe. I have had this experience countless times, and being with all people is as rewarding as it’s humbling.
During our last gig, I had arrived early at the venue and promptly settled near the bar, where a lone waiter handed me the usual. An ice-full glass of water.
In all the years we’ve been acquainted, it had all been an endless series of ‘yes sirs’, which I don’t really like, as I’d rather I be on a first-name basis with everyone. In short, we never really talked at length, except for brief topics just beyond hellos.
Regardless, on that particular afternoon, we were as laid-back and relaxed as could be, and unhindered by conventionalities such as these; we had gone beyond our usual repartee of opening lines. A rare window had opened, and he had softly talked about the rigors of his work.
He said his shift always starts at nine in the morning and lasts until four. As I looked around, I couldn’t help but ask, ” And you did all these?” Nodding yes, he pointed to all the neatly arranged chairs and tables that extended up to the pathway and at the already-set stage, with all its speakers and microphone cords set up (with only the tech guy to attach the mics).
He then added working on all the refilled coolers of beverages by the wall. “These, plus serving the morning customers up till lunch and the late afternoon.” Not including cashier duties, I thought, and all done by one guy, I added.
It was at this time I thought of all the workers I have known and the feats that they do, largely all behind the scenes and beyond our eyes.
Through it all, they come to us, as though from behind a curtain, with a smile and willing hand ready to serve.
If that’s not humbling enough, my mind also wanders to the number of instances I’ve watched them stand by the roadside come late evenings after work, and waiting for a ride to their own homes, where a different story awaits and unfolds.
Thinking about all these tiny threads of ‘connect’ happening every day, it always makes me pause to remind myself that there’s a rainbow of lives out there, all within our reach.
The fabled pot of gold really lies in knowing how we appreciate, empathize, interact, and grow with them. After all, we’re just a single band of many colors. No matter how far away we look in separate directions, in the end, there is really just one road and only one journey.
